A Hold on Me
by BlinkMaster
Summary: One shot. Set in the beginning of senior year.


**You've Really Got a Hold on Me.**

"And I just want to end with the iconic saying, because really who better to end such a provocative and moving piece of speech writing than President … Hoover, 'a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage'… Kurt! Why would I want to hurt a chicken? And I swear to you…" Kurt runs onto stage and whispers into the diva's ear, "Oh. Right." Rachel huffs, shuffling her papers. "Vote Rachel Berry for fairness equality and the just treatment for all!"

Quinn shakes her head but claps along with the rest of the audience.

"Whose idea was it to give Berry a microphone?" Santana mutters next to the blonde.

"Why isn't she singing?"

"Because, Britt, I think she's finally gone over the deep end."

"Oh. Did it hurt?"

"She's fine," Quinn tells the other blonde quickly before turning to the brunette, "it's not like anyone else actually wants the job. How lame can you be?"

Santana shrugs, "I think everything I'm not doing is lame."

"And _everyone_ you're not doing."

"Want to say that louder, Fabray?"

"Nope."

Quinn turns back to the stage, watching as Karofsky stands up to the podium in Rachel's place.

* * *

><p>Quinn finally finds Rachel outside the foreign language hallway, jumping up and down, yelling at a piece of tape, with a purple banner bopping around after her.<p>

"What are you doing?"

"Really, Quinn, can you please hold the other end of this treacherous banner. I think my height is impeding…"

"Berry!"

Rachel stops playing with the tape and looks up to Quinn. "Yes?"

"What are you doing?" Quinn asks the other girl, more slowly than perhaps necessary as the banner flops down onto the shorter girl's face.

Rachel emits a low growl and drops the banner down to the floor, holding in her rage well enough to not stomp on the offending object. "I don't know what you mean."

Containing a snicker, Quinn points to the campaign posters that have already been hung throughout the halls. "You. Class president."

"Oh. That." Rachel shakes her head, "Can you please hold the end while I tape?" She points to the antagonizing piece of paper.

"If I help you will you answer my damn question?"

"Well, I really don't think that kind of language was called for," Quinn feels her hands balling into fists, "but, yes, of course."

Quinn reaches down and picks up the end of the purple banner; her eyebrow rises instantly, "Rachel does a student body good?"

"The internet informed me that it was a wise and decisive campaign slogan."

Quinn shakes her head, "You really have to stop asking Google questions."

Rachel's face reddens but she distracts herself by jumping again to tape the other end of the banner as Quinn holds up her side. "Didn't you want to ask me something?"

"Oh right," Quinn grabs a strip of tape, that Rachel must have readied on the locker in front of her, and easily tapes her end on the wall. "Really, Kurt couldn't have helped you come up with something better?"

"He wanted me to add a picture at the end of myself wearing…"

Quinn holds up her hand to quiet Rachel. "I don't want to hear the end of that sentence."

"Sex sells, Quinn."

"I am going to pretend like I didn't hear that."

Rachel steps back to admire their handiwork. "You wanted to ask me something."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Why are you running for class president?"

"Well, as you know my college applications are quite filled with accolades and awards I just thought that…"

"That you'd embarrass yourself running against Karofsky?" Quinn can't control the way her voice raises, "Don't you get that you're practically punishing yourself? You know how he is."

"I'll have you know that David is a horrible individual but he seems to be quite professional. His slushy to day ratio has not risen a bit since I have announced my candidacy."

"David?" Quinn shakes her head; one has to stay on task while talking to Rachel Berry. "Why are you doing this?"

Rachel sighs, "I find that this was the quickest and most accessible outlet for me to gain some power in this school.'

Quinn can't control her laughter, "Power? Class president?"

"I see nothing funny about this Quinn Fabray."

"Class president doesn't get any power. Especially if it was you."

Rachel stomps her foot, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Quinn rolls her eyes, "It's a stupid position that everyone forgets about in a week's time and if you get it they'll just turn it into…"

"What do you mean 'if I get it'?"

"You know what I mean."

"You know, Quinn, you're being quite rude and judgemental."

Quinn throws her hands into the air, "I'm just being honest with you!"

"Well, I don't appreciate it!"

"Too bad!"

Quinn hadn't noticed until this moment how close her anger took her to Rachel's body.

"I'll show you. I'll reach my goal somehow," Rachel tells Quinn quietly before turning around and walking away.

* * *

><p>Quinn enters the school flanked by Santana and Brittany. Okay, not so much flanked anymore, now that the two girls have decided that their breathing is hinged upon them holding hands, but as close to being flanked as Quinn is going to get these days. And that's when they see her.<p>

"What is she doing?" Santana points.

Rachel Berry is standing at the Cheerio locker block looking suspiciously like she came straight off a set of a very low grade spy movie, sunglasses and all.

"When did trench coats go _so_ out of style that Berry would start wearing one?"

"Or boots for that matter," Quinn adds.

"Rachel is running for mayor."

Quinn quickly turns to the other blonde, "What?"

"She promised me a duck pond in the park that is old person free and to make those loud bells that wake me up every Sunday to stop." Brittany claps cheerfully. "She has my vote."

Quinn shakes her head, "B, you have to be eighteen to vote."

The taller blonde's face falls instantly. "Oh."

Santana steps on Quinn's open toed shoe foot

"Ow!"

"I'm sure your mom will vote for her for you, Britt."

"Can she even run?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" They continue their walk to their lockers. "She's not going to move is she?"

"Doesn't look like it."

"Hi Rachel!" Brittany walks quickly over to the small brunette. "I passed out all my 'save the children' flyers."

The Latina looks ready to pounce, "You have Brittany working for you?"

Rachel shakes her head, "With me."

"San, she's going to let me be an advisor."

"Now, I'm really not taking this seriously." Quinn walks around Rachel to her own locker.

"Berry, why are you here, leaning against B's locker? Do I really need to warn you…"

"I would just like you three to know that I am partaking in three types of self-defence classes…"

"Berry, why are you interrupting my morning with your special brand of craziness?"

"There's more than one kind?"

"Why yes, Brittany, I have decided to take tae kwon do, Aikido and kick boxing to begin with. I was looking for something more fitting of my outfit; however, the choices in Lima are quite limited."

"I'm going to regret this, but, why are you taking these classes?"

"Seriously Q? Why'd you go and put a quarter in her?" Santana slams her locker open hard in hopes of hitting the other brunette but Rachel is just an inch too far.

"I feel that perhaps in the future I will need to be able to ward off crazy fans and potential stalkers."

"Who is stalking you, Rupaul?"

"I'll stalk you, Rachel." Brittany smiles warmly at the small brunette.

"Oh God!" Santana slams her locker closed harder than she opened it. "Stay away from B, Berry." Santana grabs Brittany's hand and drags her away from the other two girls.

"Seriously, mayor?" Quinn asks as she shuts her own locker. "And do you seriously have a death wish?"

"I told you I'd find a way, Quinn."

"I'm confused."

"I have found this is a much superior outlet to reaching my goals now that Karofsky is also appealing to those audiences that were unsympathetic prior due to his recent truth telling…"

"Right." Quinn shakes her head and walks away from the other girl before she had to listen to a full-on Berry rant.

* * *

><p>Quinn closes her locker door and turns to make her way reluctantly to her second period class, geometry, when she runs straight into Rachel.<p>

"Seriously? Do you know how to…" Quinn is shocked into silence. "Who gave you that black eye?"

"I received it in my Aikido class. My partner was quite disingenuous with the space between us."

"When did this happen?"

"Before school."

"Today?"

"Yes."

"As in two hours ago?"

The smaller girl nods.

"Seriously?"

"Why would I lie...?"

Grabbing Rachel's wrist, the blond begins to move down the hall, dodging curious glances. "Come on." Quinn sighs and pulls the smaller girl with her into the locker room.

Quinn pushes the brunette down onto a bench as she ducks into the coach's office. "Why haven't you been icing that?" she shouts loud enough for Rachel to hear.

"Quinn, I must impart on you how important every class is in our senior year of school."

"Don't tell me you don't already have the text books read and notes taken up to the midterm."

"I'll have you know, Quinn, that I am a week behind in my midterm preparation even though it is only September I'd like to be more prepared than I am presently."

"Maybe it's because you went a step over crazy and decided to run for mayor."

"Perhaps."

Quinn reappears holding an ice pack and approaches the other girl. "I thought you finally pushed Santana too far," Quinn places the ice over the other girl's eye, "I heard she caught B convincing Mr Greenfield down the street that you would lift the three dogs per household law."

"Well, I feel that it is a very unjust law, Quinn, some people find canines to be…"

"Rachel." Quinn shakes her head. "Nobody living in Lima has room for more than three dogs."

Rachel takes the ice out of Quinn's hand to hold it onto her own face, startling Quinn, who jumps off the bench to lean against the lockers.

"Why are you really bothering with these self defence classes anyways?"

"I told you the other day."

Quinn rolls her eyes, "Yeah, but I want to know the real reason."

"Quinn, I am taking these classes so myself and those I am with will feel safe and secure."

Quinn stares at the other girl as she ices her eye. "You're going to get yourself killed so you can…"

"Protect people that I care about. Make them feel _safe_."

"How is self-defence going to keep you safe from some guy with a gun?"

"Well," Rachel takes an uncharacteristic pause, "I haven't thought that far yet."

"Right."

Rachel stands suddenly, "Quinn, can you wait here I need to fetch something quickly from my locker."

Quinn pushes herself off the lockers, "You got your ice I'm going to class."

"Please?"

"What happened to all that garbage about every class in our senior year?"

Rachel holds the handle to the locker room door loosely starring at Quinn pleadingly, "Please? I had this all planned a different way; however, I feel this is the right moment and Kurt has informed me that spontaneity, although quite messy, can be…"

"Berry, can't you just slip whatever it is in my locker?"

"I would really like to do this in person; however, if you so insist then I would need you to rust me enough to give me your locker…"

"24-14-47"

"Quinn, I am quite touched that you have offered me…"

Quinn walks towards the door and Rachel. "It's just a locker combo, Berry, don't get too sentimental."

Before Quinn knows what is happening Rachel has her arms around her and then is quickly out of the locker room door.

* * *

><p>After geometry, Quinn makes her way to her locker.<p>

So whatever if she never goes to her locker after second period? And so what if her next class was only two doors down from her last? Quinn Fabray is allowed to be a little bit curious.

The first thing Quinn finds is another box. But this box isn't plain like the first, it's gold and in the shape of a star and obviously store bought.

Chocolates. In the shape of stars. She has to admit she does like chocolate and now that Sue isn't breathing down her neck it's always nice to indulge. Why Berry decided to share these with her escapes Quinn, but she's not going to complain.

She pops a chocolate into her mouth.

Delicious.

She'll save these for later and maybe ask Berry if she wants her box back. Closing the lid she notices something out of place. Written in calligraphy on the inside of the lid the word 'sweet' is scrawled out in gold pen.

Quinn should have known the diva was in Calligraphy Club too.

As she goes to place the chocolate back from where she got it she notices something at the bottom of the box, a tiny homemade booklet.

The front of the tiny booklet, scrawled in the same script as the chocolate box, is the word 'nice.'

Curiosity getting the better of her, Quinn quickly opens the packet

'Dear Quinn, I do know that sometimes my need to be extremely truthful, honest and just comes in contrast to many people's ideas of nice. I, therefore, grant you these redeemable vouchers good for 10 compliments at your digression. Love, Rachel Barbra Berry (gold star)'

Flipping through the pages, Quinn watches a black and white picture of Rachel giving her a broad smile and a thumbs up next to the words 'one redeemable compliment'.

No doubt about it. Rachel Berry took a large leap to Crazytown.

* * *

><p>"Hello?" Quinn answers her phone wearily, looking at the clock.<p>

1:20 AM.

What the hell.

"Quinn?"

"Rachel?"

"I'm so glad you're awake."

"I'm not."

"Well, you are very talented if you can answer the phone in your sleep."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Quinn?"

The blonde snuggles closer to her pillow. "Yeah, Rach?"

"Do you think you can wake up?"

"Why?" Quinn asks yawning.

"I need someone to bail me out of jail."

And with that all tiredness drains out of Quinn Fabray's body.

* * *

><p>Quinn grips her steering wheel tightly, not yet making a move to back out of her parking space. "A weapons dealer?"<p>

"How was I supposed to know he sold illegal weapons?"

"Just saying that means you knew he sold some type of weapons!"

"Well," Rachel pauses, "yes, technically."

"Technically?"

"Yes, technically, Quinn." Rachel fastens her seatbelt, "Do you know how to get to my house? I will of course pay you in the morning for your…"

"Why were you meeting a weapons dealer at one in the morning?"

"He said that was the only time he had free."

"That makes sense because most _criminals_ only act at night."

"But, he seemed so nice on the phone."

"Where the hell would you get a weapons dealer number to begin with?"

Rachel's face reddens, "Um…Google."

"Damnit, Berry, I told you to stop asking Google questions."

"It's not my fault that Google is so informative, Quinn!"

"Do I want to know why you were searching for an arms dealer?"

"I assure you Quinn, it was all very innocent."

"I doubt that."

"I was trying to purchase a Taser gun."

Quinn pinches the bridge of her nose and breathes out slowly, "A what?"

"Well, it's a device that shoots a…"

Quinn shakes her head frantically, "I know what one is."

"Then why did you…"

"Why the hell do you need a Taser gun?"

"Well, I thought about what you said, Quinn, and you were completely correct. I need a back up to my impressive yet still developing self defence skills. I would not want the one I was with to be…"

Quinn's head falls onto the steering wheel, accidently setting off the horn. "Seriously, Berry? Seriously?"

"You should really put your seatbelt on, Quinn, I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

* * *

><p>"Mr Schue, I would like to make an announcement."<p>

"Can this wait til…?"

Rachel stands and makes her way to the front of the room. "No it cannot."

Mr Schue sighs in defeat. "Okay, guys, Rachel has the floor."

Rachel clears her throat, "I would like to be the first to inform you all that my candidacy for mayor has ended. Although I refuse to submit to the cold hands of defeat and will not be withdrawing my name, I fear that my 5 point lead will soon take a drastic and unrecoverable nose dive."

"No!" Brittany nearly sobs.

"Five points, really?" Quinn mutters.

"How did you mess it up already, Berry?"

"Some of you or your parents may be handed these flyers." Rachel begins to pass out a pamphlet to each of the members. "I assure you that, for the most part, it is a giant hyperbole."

"Uh, Rachel," Tina is the first to speak, "this pamphlet accuses you of assisting terrorists and buying contraband."

"It's an over exaggeration of the facts."

Schues face pales, "Facts?"

"Well," Rachel claps her hands, "Now that I have gotten that unpleasantly out of the way…"

"Rachel," Mr Schue interjects, "how many of these facts are true?"

Rachel huffs, "Well, I assure you that I have never been in the same room as plutonium. I have heard radiation does terrible things for ones vocal chords."

Quinn's constant laughing isn't help matters.

"Oh. Right," Mr Schue nods slowly.

"I would now like to perform a song if that's alright?"

"Berry after reading this pamphlet I've decided that you're pretty hot." Lauren looks up from the paper in her lap.

"Nobody asked you Zizes."

"What's it to you Fabray?"

"Excuse me." Rachel stomps her foot. "My song."

"Right, right," Mr Schue pulls his head out of the pamphlet, "what were you singing again?"

"I would like to sing a song to an unnamed individual who has been my muse of late."

"If we are going to hear another song about Hudson can you at least make it realistic," Santana drawls as she crinkles up the piece of paper and throws it in Rachel's direction, "something like Monster by Kanye."

"Hey!"

"No, Santana this isn't for Finn. However, I do see some similarities…"

"Can you just sing, please?" Finn cuts in.

"I will be singing "You Really Got A Hold on Me" by Smokey Robinson."

_I don't like you, but I love you  
>Seems I'm always, thinking of you<br>Oh, oh, oh, you treat me badly  
>I love you madly<br>You've really got a hold on me_

* * *

><p>"Your best friend is fast approaching at three o'clock," Mercedes whispers to Quinn from across the library table.<p>

"I hope you're not referring to…"

"Hello Quinn, Mercedes," Rachel sits herself down at the library table next to Quinn. "How has your day been thus far?"

"Good previously." Mercedes raises her English book up to cover her face from the brunette.

Rachel doesn't seem to notice. "What did you think of my performance yesterday, Quinn?"

"Your performance?"

"Yes, my rendition of Smokey Robinson."

Mercedes makes a snorting noise from behind her book.

"Oh. Yeah it was okay."

Quinn turns the page in her history book.

"Just good?"

"Yeah, good."

"Not exceptional?"

At this point Mercedes stands up and leaves without a word.

"Rachel, you do a solo almost every glee class. It's really hard to keep them straight."

"But, Quinn, I choose that song specifically to exemplify not only my range but also my talent and to deliver a very specific message."

Quinn shrugs, "I don't know what to tell you."

"You're completely right, Quinn, my talent is very consuming and I feel it has used up all the capacity of the choir room. I will need to find a different way to fully exemplify my talent and to make my message more broadly understood."

The bell signifying the end of the class hour rings.

"You could try performing on the roof or something. I don't know," Quinn closes her book. "I really can't be late for this English class. But, honestly, Rachel, everyone knows you're talented, what are you trying to prove?"

Quinn walks quickly out of the library, praying she'll have enough time to get a good seat in the front.

* * *

><p>"Hello?" Quinn answers her cell phone, thankful for the distraction from her geometry homework.<p>

"Is this Quinn?" an unfamiliar voice asks.

"Uh, yeah, can I ask who is calling?"

"This is David Berry, Rachel's dad."

Quinn sits up in bed, "Is she okay?"

Images of Russian arms dealers pass through Quinn's head.

"Well, she's taken a fall."

"What do you mean?"

"We're not quite sure; she seemed to be setting up a microphone on the school's roof."

Quinn's face pales.

"Oh."

"She was asking for you. I found your name in her cell phone."

"I'll be there in a few minutes."

* * *

><p>"Seriously, Berry?" Quinn walks into the white sterile room, "Do I even want to know why you're here?"<p>

"Quinn!" Rachel smiles and attempts to sit up on bed but only manages to grimace. "It's so nice for you to come and visit me."

"Why were you on the roof of the school?"

"I was making sure a microphone would be completely functional…"

"Why?"

"Well, you said…"

"I wasn't serious!"

"It would have all worked out if Mr Sanders hadn't thought I was a burglar. Really, Quinn, I wasn't even wearing black I was..." Rachel's face falls rapidly, "you don't think they are going to press charges, do you?"

"I'm not… I'm not sure."

"Everything keeps backfiring!" The small diva bursts into tears and Quinn is completely lost on what to do.

She slowly approaches the bed and grabs the other girl's hand squeezing it lightly. "Seriously, Berry, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You!"

"Me?"

"You're supposed to like me by now." Rachel's eyes close tightly, "I am so behind schedule on all of this."

"Uh, I like you just fine," Quinn squeezes the injured girls hand a little tighter, "I am here, aren't I?"

"You don't understand."

"Yeah, that seems to be a pattern lately."

"I should have given my monologue with the candies. I would never be this far behind if I had. Why did I bother listening to Kurt? What does Kurt know…?"

"Rachel."

"Hm?"

"Can you please make sense?"

"I thought I have made this more than clear, Quinn, I am in love with you."

"You…" Quinn backs up from the bed and sits down on the chair under the window, "You're in…"

"It all started at the end of last year. Although, I didn't know that was the beginning really. It took all summer to really crystallize. Why I couldn't stop thinking about you. Why I spent so much time at Kurt's when I knew you and Finn would be in the basement. Why I rhymed gay with Fabray in all my song writing."

"Gay?" Quinn unintentionally mumbles.

"And now I have gone and screwed everything up. Even if everything was running smoothly I am not scheduled to admit my feelings for another 23 days." Rachel turns her head away from the other girl. "Everything is ruined."

"What…" Quinn rubs at her temples, "no, when did you decide this?"

* * *

><p>"<em>You two are staying in there until you work this out," Mercedes calls through the choir door. <em>

"_She tried to sabotage the prom!"_

"_She has no proof!" _

_They hear the lock click loudly. _

"_Great." Quinn walks over to the piano and hoists herself on top of it. "Look what you did, Man Hands." _

"_Glad to see originality is alive and well in Lima." _

"_Excuse me?" _

"_I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. I feel rather caged in enclosed spaces."_

"_Uh… don't we all?"_

"_Yes, I suppose so." Rachel begins to pace, "Maybe we should just talk this out?" _

"_Well talk then. You're the one that tried to cancel prom." _

"_You have no proof." _

"_Do I really need proof?" _

_Rachel sits herself down on the ground and stares at her fellow hostage, "Why are you with him?" _

_Quinn expects the question but it doesn't make her anymore prepared to answer. "Why do you want him?"_

"_I asked you first."_

"_Are you five?" _

"_Obviously, I love him."_

"_Love?" Quinn snorts before she can contain it, "Finn is a man child. He doesn't know what love is." _

"_But, males mature much slower than females I just have to wait until his psyche has matured to the same level as mine." _

"_That's just something people say to explain away their boyfriends stupid behaviour." _

"_Perhaps," Rachel concedes. "What about you?" _

"_What about me what?"_

"_Why do you want him?"_

"_Why are you so interested?"_

"_I think that's obvious." _

"_I don't know," Quinn shakes her head, "I mean, with Finn I have power and I feel… protected."_

_Rachel rolls her eyes, "There has to be something else. Any idiot on the football team especially Sam…"_

"_But, Finn is the quarterback." _

"_Football season only lasts so long."_

"_So?"_

"_I thought we were going to talk this out?"_

_Quinn sighs, "I mean, he's sweet and he's relatively nice and talented," Quinn pauses but pushes forward, "and I guess he was my first love."_

* * *

><p>"So you want me now because I said nice things about Finn?" Quinn shakes her head, "We're not even together anymore; you can have him."<p>

There's only so many hours of explaining things slowly that Quinn can take.

"Quinn, really, the term 'want you' does not really begin to elucidate what I am going through."

Quinn sighs, "Okay, so you've gone loony because of some things I said about Finn?"

Rachel huffs from the bed, "I also take offence to that."

"Okay," Quinn takes a deep calming breath, "why don't you explain better then?"

"It's not what you said about Finn, however, I have found that bit quite informative. It's what you said after."

* * *

><p>"<em>He told me he saw fireworks when he kissed you." <em>

"_I kissed him." _

"_Really, it's the same thing, isn't it?" _

_Quinn shrugs. She doubts he would have initiated anything if she hadn't, but she's not going to say that to the other girl while they're trapped in a room together. _

"_What do you think love is, Quinn?" _

_Now that question is unexpected and the blonde sits in silence for a long moment before she clears her throat, "What?" _

"_Love."_

"_I don't know." _

_Rachel sighs, "No me either."_

"_I mean, I guess…" Quinn takes a deep breath, "I guess it's a feeling that if that person isn't around anymore a part of you isn't around anymore either."_

"_That's beautiful," the diva stares in awe at the blonde. _

"_Yeah, well, it's not exactly a love song, is it?" _

"_No, I guess not…" Rachel shakes her head, "You don't think love is fireworks?"_

"_I think fireworks are nice," although, Finn Hudson's rough lips never elicited such a reaction from her, "but, they're not love." _

* * *

><p>"Oh." Quinn nods deftly.<p>

"I took me a month to pinpoint that moment."

"Oh."

"But, I did and it all made sense. You spoke to my heart."

"I don't speak heart," Quinn response mechanically.

Rachel ignores her. "You spoke to my heart and I guess I have always been a bit captivated by you, as are most people that meet you."

"Oh."

"And I have found that really when you are absent my days are always lacking in some shape or form."

"I use to torment you."

"Some people may see it that way."

"Sane people would see it that way."

"I have chosen to see it as you trying to communicate and keep me closer without jeopardizing your high school popularity that you so treasure."

Quinn shakes her head, "You're crazy."

"Yes, that was Kurt's initial reaction as well."

"You've told other people about this?"

"Just Kurt."

"I think you hit your head harder than the doctors realize," Quinn stands, "I'm going to go tell them."

"Quinn," the voice is so sad that Quinn turns away from the door. "I'm not insane, really."

"Yes, you are."

"Please listen. I mean. I must really mean it. I fell off a roof for you. I have a criminal record now for you," Rachel pleads.

"I didn't ask you to do those things," But Quinn walks back to the chair and scoots it closer to the bed, sitting down.

"I know, but I wanted to." Rachel sighs, "I wanted to show you I could be better than Finn."

Quinn scoffs, "A rock is better than Finn."

"Although I had talked myself into believing the best of your previous actions toward me, there is still the lingering fear that you see me as less than a rock."

Sighing, Quinn shakes her head, "You're not worse than a rock."

"Well, it's good to hear you say that." Rachel tries to reach out to Quinn's hand but Quinn pretends that she doesn't notice. "I'm really not crazy, Quinn. I have thoroughly dissected and mapped the entirety of our meetings and interactions, which are a lot since kindergarten, and I have concluded that we make sense."

"Sense?"

Rachel nods as well she can, "No matter what you said or did to me I could never hate you because it was better than you completely ignoring me and no matter how much you wanted to hate me you never could because you always secretly wanted to be my friend."

"Presumptions much?"

"Deny it then."

Quinn shakes her head. "You're crazy," Quinn quietly mumbles.

The blonde reaches into her bag and pulls out the homemade book Rachel had made her and throws it onto the bed, "I'm redeeming."

"But, Quinn, they are meant to be…"

"All ten."

"But, they are meant to be…"

Quinn's eyebrow raises, "Are you telling me what I can and cannot do with my gift?"

"All ten, right." Rachel swallows noticeably, "One. Though out of key at times your singing voice is very nice to listen to."

"Compliments don't come with stipulations."

Rachel clears her throat, "One. I like to listen to you sing. Two. You are quite loyal although you…" Rachel catches herself before she continues, "Three. You're smart. Four. You take responsibility for the things you do. Five. Determined. Six. You know how to persevere."

"Those are the same thing."

Rachel huffs, "They are not."

"Are."

"Fine. Six. Hardworking. Seven. You're incredibly open-minded in spite of your upbringing."

"I thought I said no explanations?"

"You didn't. You said stipulations."

"Oh."

"Eight. Although you try to hide it I really do believe you would put your friends needs above your own. Nine. You have a big heart. You've defended me and Glee club when no one else would… at least publicly."

"I only went with you on the original songs because I as trying to…"

"I don't believe that." Quinn doesn't say anything else to protest, "Ten. You're the most beautiful person I have ever seen and I am including that Victoria Secret runway show Kurt made me watch to test my new found leanings towards the same sex."

Quinn stares at the other girl. "Now it's my turn."

"But, Quinn, that wasn't part of the…"

Quinn takes Rachel's hand which quiets the injured brunette instantly.

"You're crazy."

Rachel's smile falters.

"You're crazy talented and crazily nice to people and well, okay, you are just a little bit crazy. But, I mean, it's not so bad."

"Quinn, is this your way of telling me my plan might be on schedule after all?"

"I think it's my way of telling you you're ahead of schedule." Quinn leans over and kisses the other girl gently. "If you manage to stay out of prison and hospital for a week, I'll do that again."

"A whole week?"

"Yes."

"Five days?"

Quinn rolls her eyes bends over and kisses the brunette again, "Four, but that's my final offer."

Rachel's face lights up, "I'll take it."


End file.
